Capoeira hits the Y’s in Fife!

Capoeira has come to Fife, its journey stretching across the corners of the Kingdom as part of a Fife Council Creative Links Programme initiative that has been possible through Active Steps funding. Capoeira is one of three creative artforms that have been built into a programme for three Y's - YMCA and YWCA - in Fife to enable young people, who are 'at risk', to engage in a range of physical and creative leisure activities to help build confidence, social skills and personal interests.

The partnership between Fife's Creative Links Programme and the Y's is designed to support the cultural entitlement agenda - providing access and opportunities for all young people in Fife to take part in cultural activities, as well as working alongside the 'health promoting schools' programme. In this programme, creativity becomes a mechanism for helping to improve the health and well being of young people.

The workshops started this summer and will continue until the end of the year with the idea that if these new creative activities take off, they will then be built into the individual Y's own programme. The workshops are free of charge and are open to all young people who are part of the Y programme - the localities involved in this first programme are Glenrothes and Kirkcaldy (YMCA - YWCA).

Fife Cultural Co-ordinator, Rachel Dawick gives us a first hand account of the programmes.

'Capoeira Angola is an Afro-Brazilian artform, which combines elements of dance, play-fighting, music, chants and ritual 'e fundamento'. Originally evolving from Africa it has now made its way to central Fife as young people from across the region enjoy its rich diversity.

Introduced into Fife through the Creative Links Programme by tutor Dion Draga from the group Capoeira Angola Mao No Chao based in Edinburgh, young women from the Kirkcaldy YWCA were the first to experience this new adopted Scottish phenomenon. You could wonder what connection there would be with an artform that has come from the struggle of African slaves against their oppressors, but its appeal is in its universal theme  - celebrating life in the face of everyday struggle.

Dion Dragas has been working individually and throughout schools, dance spaces and councils across Scotland as well as public demonstrations for over nine years in developing awareness and the great social benefits of this artform.  He says Capoeira Angola is unique because it 'is for people of all ages and ability, and creates a space were everybody's special qualities are revealed and can shine.

In Brazil and now across Europe and the world, Capoeira has become recognised as an invaluable social tool, bringing different people together through a common universal language.'

Capoeira is therefore about real people. Its message is of unity and bringing people together to find peace, joy and fulfillment in the "game" and ultimately in life. As one of the young people said it made her feel "energectic and joyful". So, whether you call Capoeira a game, a fight or a dance, what you do discover very quickly is that those who get involved soon become intoxicated with the whole experience - and that’s just the co-ordinators!

'But hey don’t take my word for it – in the words of some of the young women from Kirkcaldy YWCA a few workshops in Capoeira has left them feeling “exhausted but happy",  "shattered, happy and sore!” They now have a great sense of renewed confidence in their own agility, strength and social skills.

But why try and explain what Capoeira is when you can come along and experience it for yourself? Just be prepared to be invigorated and wholly absorbed in this living art form.'

If you are interested in finding out more about the Y programmes in Fife you can contact Rachel Dawick on Tel: 01592 414 894 or email: rachel.dawick@fife.gov.uk

To find out where a Capoeira workshop is running near you contact Dion Draga, email: diondraga@hotmail.com or visit the Capoeira Angola website.